Lexus quietly reworks the NX where you look every day

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Lexus has sent the updated NX, badged as a 2027 model year car, out for testing. The prototype was spotted at the Nurburgring with camouflage covering the front and rear of the body — yet it is already clear that the crossover is preparing more than a cosmetic tweak.

The biggest talking point is the cabin. The spy shots suggest Lexus may drop the current curved panel with its driver-angled screen. In its place comes a more vertical architecture in the spirit of the new ES: a large rectangular infotainment display, a redesigned front section and a calmer overall layout. For buyers this matters more than it sounds, because the NX competes not only on Toyota reliability but on how premium it feels inside.

The exterior changes, too. The signature spindle grille stays up front, but the prototype reveals two horizontal bars along the bottom, new triangular intakes beneath the headlights and a rounded lower lip on the bumper. The test car may have been an F Sport, though there is no firm confirmation yet.

One curious detail is the daytime running lights. Lexus’s familiar L-shaped signature is nowhere to be seen on the prototype; instead there are two LED strips reminiscent of the Toyota RAV4. They may double as turn indicators.

The profile is barely altered: the roofline, proportions and side surfacing are close to the current NX. The rear is hidden more heavily, including the lights and bumper. A premiere is expected no earlier than the second half of 2026. It looks like Lexus is carefully reworking the NX exactly where buyers look every day — inside the cabin and in the light signature.